Work is underway to install Park and Charge EV Charging hubs in 3 car parks in Abingdon. West St Helen Street will have 12 charge points,
Audlett Drive 16, and Cattle Market 12.
The cost of the installation is not from local council budgets but from grant funding from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles. The primary aim is charging hubs for residents without off-street parking as parking is free overnight. These new EV chargers will be bookable overnight, and can be used during the day. Initially this will mean less parking for other vehicles, until more vehicles are electric and the charge points are needed more.
EV=Electric Vehicle
I found out that the Vale are considering not spending money to do the repairs to the multi story car park so this will be out of commission for the foreseeable future and may be demolished. East St Helens car park was often full before car parking spaces were reduced. Many people now have to park in the Waitrose car park even though we do not have to do any shopping there. I wonder how long Waitrose will allow non shoppers to use their car park.
Source please, or is this just more anti Lib Dem rhetoric?
The multi-storey car park is getting on for 50 years old. I suspect it may not be viable to repair it.
Ssssssh Janet! Don’t advertise to waitrose that we are parking there! You’ll give the game away!
Let’s switch to electric vehicles. Let’s put up the price of electricity.
another rediculoius decision, there is not enough parking spaces for local residents as it is
The way some peole carry on you’d think that the cost of parking was a significant part of the cost of car ownership.
I’m not convinced that EVs are the solution to the climate crisis but extra provision for on street charging demostrates that money is available, all that’s missing is the will. How about using some fruit from the money tree to encourage active and public transport?
What I’d like to know is what is going to happen to all the old spent batteries in a few years time. Perhaps someone can enlighten me
As far as I know Lithium Ion batteries are currently unrecylable. I have heard that there are large stores of them waiting for the technology to be developed, the rest are in landfill. This is partly why EVs are not yet the answer to the climate crisis some would have us believe
Incorrect, the technology to recycle car batteries is developed. Currently there is not a sufficient supply of old batteries to scale up the plants to a viable commercial level. The batteries are lasting 15+ years in cars and are then viable for another 10 + yrs use as house storage batteries, so actually have a very long life cycle. When you research the amount of electricity required to drill, ship and refine diesel it’s a bit of an eye opener. EV’s are not the answer the all the climate problems but use far less energy than ICE cars & of course make breathing in busy towns a whole lot healthier, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk-LnUYEXuM
It’s not fully true that Lithium Ion Batteries of EVs aren’t recyclable. Technology exists but the difficulty is how to dismantle old batteries and how to recover the material content safely and cost/energy efficiently. However, it is often claimed that EV batteries last longer then other parts of the car; so if an EV comes to the end of its life, the battery can still be used for energy storage before it needs to be recycled.
Interesting read are the following webpages:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56574779
https://www.veolia.co.uk/press-releases/veolia-announces-its-first-electric-vehicle-battery-recycling-plant-uk
https://www.treehugger.com/recycling-electric-car-batteries-an-overview-5188317
And further, the materials in those batteries have huge financial value and EV manufactures are keen to get the material for building new batteries. Usually I don’t trust that the market will self-regulate but with EV batteries I believe that the valuable material is already an incentive for manufacturers to recycle batteries.
To answer Gillyanna’s question : “Most manufacturers have a five to eight-year warranty on their battery. However, the current prediction is that an electric car battery will last from 10 – 20 years before they need to be replaced.” – more info at https://www.edfenergy.com/electric-cars/batteries and https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-1003-electric-vehicle-ev
Hooray! Somewhere to charge when I visit Abingdon
I had an appointment at the Malthouse this morning but not being a friend from Culham offered to pick me up from north Abingdon – she was 10 minutes late because of the traffic lights and one lane on the close to collapse Abingdon bridge ! Eventually we arrived at the Abbey car park – it was full and even had drivers waiting for successful Parker’s to return! Moving to the cattle market we found the same situation made worse by the fact about 15% of the spaces are closed pending the installation of charging points, (now I’m some 20 mins late) over to Saint Helens car park, exactly the same, much blocked off re charge points and no feee spaces, in panic we drove to the “multi” story-a joke, after waiting for a space we then tried to find a ticket machine? Only finding one and that was covered so to avoid a parking ticket I rang the council only to be told there is no charge anymore- it’s free ! Eventually arrived at surgery some 35 minutes late ! Then through the filthy urine smelling charter, past the empty shops to Boots and back to the car left me feeling we’re being very poorly served ! Little wonder the gentleman from the Chamber of Commerce is taking his excellence market to Dalton Barracks? Mind you with an £18 entrance fee I doubt his stall holders will be busy !
I agree with you re the parking and traffic issues.
However, to be factually correct, the Excellence Market is not run by the Chamber of Commerce, it will continue its normal presence in Abingdon, and the one at Dalton Barracks is an ‘extra’ as part of a massive 9 hour Jubilee event being held there for which there is an £18 entrance.
Our roads and town centres were never designed to cope with the volume of traffic currently on them, and the only solution to that is to reduce the amount of vehicles, especially cars that are often 80% empty. Any expectation of a clear and uninterrupted journey, particularly a short one, is out of date to the point of naivety.
If you are having so many problems getting from N Abingdon to Malthouse, why not change to Long Furlong? My wife did that very succesfuly very recently. Me? I use my bike. You’re not stuck in traffic, you are the traffic.
Tim that’s a very cynical opinion, 1, if I could ride a bike believe me I would, 2, why should I have to make changes to my lifestyle (my family GP) because council can no longer provide a basic infrastructure?
Kelly, of course I bow to your superior knowledge but may I suggest in this instance you may be incorrect? As I understand the chamber of commerce does run the Abingdon excellence market, a friend has a stall there and apparently a gentleman named Paul from the C of C runs it and even parks his van – sign written Chamber of Commerce among the stall holders?
No Council can provide the sort of infrastructure required, there is too much traffic, that’s not cynicism, it’s a fact. Your dear friend driving from Culham to N Abingdon to take you to town (regardless of what it smells like) makes a massive contribution to the problem you are complaining about.
Choosing between adding to the congestion or using a local facility is entirely your call, but if you are not contributing to the solution, you’re part of the problem.
Teacher.
You should at least be thankful that you have a route into Abingdon from Culham.
The cycle path into Abingdon finishes at The Burycroft. If depend on your bike to get around you are forced into the busy road.
It’s all but impossible to get to Abingdon safety if you have kids, unless, of course, you teach them that it’s actually okay to cycle on the pavement.
Tim I find your reply both arrogant and impertinent, I’m not asking for massive improvements to the infrastructure (although the much heralded Diamond interchange promised with the new housing is still years away) just maintaining what we had would suffice- I mean Abingdon bridge with two lanes and a multi storey car park that was multi storey! I get the distinct impression you’re against old age, perhaps you would support a pensioner shoot then us old ones wouldn’t be such a burden to you? Oh BTW please read Phils post below? Seems I’m not the only one complaining about our infrastructure!
@ The teacher.
Well said. These are basic expectations, for which we pay or have paid taxes.
I’ve looked long and hard at what I have posted and can’t see anything that even suggests a pensioner shoot. Apart from anything else, I would be well up the shooting order. If you’re just going to rant around making stuff up then there’s no reasoning with you.
Two way traffic on the bridge has historically been the norm and guess what? The town was log jammed.
Building roads has only ever led to more cars, always has, always will.
Maybe, just maybe, it would be an idea to build cycle paths. What do you think might happen then?
The root of your problrem is too much traffic, not helped by people making four trips through town when none is necessary.
“The teacher” needs to be re educated I thinks! Take a look at the Chamber of Commerce website which says “the Local Excellence Markets have been passed over to the Abingdon Events Partnership”
While there is still a connection with the C of C (hence, I would imagine, the van), the excellence markets are now run by Abingdon Events Partnership, while the C of C concentrates on other direct business issues, particularly as it has for a long time struggled to find volunteers for its events, such as the extravaganza, all of which is well documented.
Do we really need 40 charging points in Abingdon? Unlike the internal combustion engine, EVs can be charged at home. Admittedly it takes a little longer to charge than fill up with petrol, but with charging points at Lidl, Tesco, Waitrose, presumably at the new Aldi, and the super sized EV development at Redbridge P & R, many points seem likely to be vacant for long periods, reducing the number of parking spaces available to everyone, EV drivers included , unless they actually need to recharge.
When ever I go past the charging points at Fairacres they are always in use.
Not everyone can charge at home, including many of the apartments surrounding the charge points that are being installed.
There are lots of people living in the town centre who don’t have their own parking at their home. Many have permits to park in the car parks Those with EVs (a rapidly growing proportion) will be able to use these chargers.
Two lanes on the bridge and there were still log jams, true…but building more and more roads? Hmm…not so sure we have been? Which roads have been built in Abingdon?
As well as the veritable explosion in car ownership in the past…20, 30 years… Mini produces 1000cars a day, and no doubt Ford, Vauxhall etc (albeit when “the chips” are available) this ownership had coincided with the SHUTTING DOWN of roads in towns. Of cutting off rat runs. More and more and more cars….but less and less and less routes for them to take.
Maybe remove all the one-way systems, open up the dead ends and allow the traffic to actually flow!?
The other way clearly isn’t working.
You need to plan for the future, not just the present needs. Demand for EVs is high, and will remain so. In fact, the waiting list for an EV at the moment is long.
At the same time the charging infrastructure is falling behind. As an EV driver, two years ago you could find a charging point easily in most towns. At the moment all charging points are often in use, let alone those that are “iced” (blocked by an Internal Combustion Engine car) or out of order.
40 charging units seems a lot at the moment but demand will soon have caught up with this provision.
Do you mind me asking David, what is the cost to you for your EV to “sit on the drive”?
My devil diesel car, bought last year, when 11 years old, costs me (vehicle plus road tax) £50/m (if atomized over 5 years). It’s a struggle, but I’m prepared to make the sacrifices I need to for the convenience it provides.
I am prepared to listen or be convinced by the EV “solution”; but it’s got to be competitive.
I like the idea of atomising a car, Daniel – especially a diesel one!!
there’s nothing particularly wrong with a diesel car. Cars aren’t “bad”.
“Don’t Believe the Hype” – as Public Enemy once sung about….
I am not sure what you would include in costs to “sit on the drive”? I also do not know what atomized means in this context.
Hold on… i think i have worked it out. My car costs around six times yours to “sit on the drive.”
BUT
1. it is a brand new car, and nowhere near the basic model.
2. I do not intend to atomize my car in five years. I plan to keep it for eight, possibly more.
3. My running costs are far less than a diesel (i had a diesel before this) and cost was not the only factor in my purchasing decision.
In terms of running cost, i used to budget £75 a month for diesel, back when fuel costs were much lower than at present.
My charging costs are averaging at £24 a month. Since my lifestyle has not changed, that is a fair comparison.
Indeed. EVs are a rapidly growing share of an overall static market
Thank you David for indulging me, that is really useful information… It would of course also depend on the size of deposit, and no doubt all other things… I am happy to also include, if I also account for actual diesel it pushes my monthly to £135. I certainly don’t use a full tank each month…but sometimes a road trip. What with increasing fuel costs let’s say £150/month. Likewise, I do all my own maintenance…so we are only playing with rough figures anyway…but, even on that basis…it feels a fair guestimate that an EV would cost me £324/month…and that doesn’t account for a deposit?
I can see yet another “them and us” split in our society as this continues. The “haves and have nots”. Those that can afford a car and those that can’t… Personally I think it is too much change too quickly.
Looks like my wife will simply have to do more overtime so we can be one of the privileged few that can afford car ownership!
I paid for the car outright, so there was no deposit or financing to factor in.
yes – at the moment ownership of an EV is a privileged position. But then so is ownership of any newer or car beyond the basic models. I think my overall monthly is somewhat lower than you estimate.
Of course, an EV is more reliable than an ICE, and i am not able to do my own maintenance, so i save a bit on garage costs. Also, insurance for EVs is slightly cheaper than the equivalent ICE.
But I am happy to accept that an EV is a luxury item. Since I do not smoke and drink very little, this is my extravagance. But, as i said, cost is not my major factor.
Thank you for the dialogue.
I think “car ownership” in general, will be a luxury only some will be able to afford going forwards.
The cost of EVs WILL come down, but not nearly quick enough for the abomination of the ICE option.
I really like your optimism of the battery longevity of EVs. I had a phone that I was really happy with, and was intending to keep it once my 2 year contract ended. Guess what…. 1 month before the contract ran out, the battery life started plunging. I was forced to renew. This has happened to most people.
2 nights ago I was caught in traffic on the Eastern bypass, due apparently to 4 cars coming together. IF I’d been in an EV, that extra half hour on the journey may have meant that some EVs would run out of juice, thus causing more congestion.
Another thing to be aware of; we are only now realising that we need to be self sufficient on fuel and not rely on potentially hostile nations for our basic commodities. By the end of the year we won’t use Russian fuel.
Now I read today that the minerals that are needed to produce batteries and chips are 80% owned by…..China. So in a few years time we’ll be totally beholding and dependent on another potentially hostile country holding us to ransom!
Tim, your, “if you’re in the traffic, you are the problem” statement is patronising and doesn’t address the problem (as some of our councillors don’t), that people don’t necessarily CHOOSE to use their cars to drive across town, they do it to travel to somewhere else! There isn’t always a chance to cycle, or use public transport. This isn’t your little Utopia world, where everyone can cycle to work, and have plenty of time to mooch around local shops to buy their organically locally produced produce. If you can, than I’m pleased for you, but don’t bemoan and ostracise those who need to use the roads!
Do something constructive, campaign for the diamond interchange to be completed before the development goes any further, get a 2nd river crossing, get the bridge functional again, reverse ABITS, and get traffic moving again, thus reducing pollution!
Incidentally, modern diesel cars and trucks are cleaner than they’ve ever been.
An EV stuck in traffic isn’t using any energy so you can sit there for as long as you like and it won’t run out of fuel, the comparison between phone batteries and car batteries is, I believe, technically flawed. Not all batteries are the same.
For decades the recieved wisdom was that society needed more roads, more motorways, more bypasses and they were built. The result was a greater demand for cars, which was quickly met by the manufacturers, which led to more traffic jams. Building more roads has never been the solution to traffic congestion and never will be. If there was decent cycle infrastucture and decent public transport then perhaps people could CHOOSE to use those. While they are utterly absent the only choice is the car. People who are obliged to use cars could then do so with greater ease.
I used to be able to get 15mpg out of a 44T truck, now I struggle to get 11. Modern diesels ARE cleaner but that is at the cost of much higher CO2 emissions.
I disagree…all this ‘building more roads’, 8f it really happened,. coincided with the shutting of rat runs, speed humps, implementation of one way systems and the “shutting down” of the arterial network.
Plus…I don’t think “more roads being built” meant people said “ah…I will buy a car now because there’s an extra lane on the M25”.
I would love for someone ntonbe able to qualify what “decent” means when it comes to cycling infrastructure or public transport? I think to acheove parity to having your own car it would need a veritable paradigm shift! Having said that, there has been a definite onus to make car driving WORSE a choice than public transport…hence the costs, reduction in roads, humps, etc etc.
I don’t care what you say….we invented the car to allow a journey from A to B to be more convenient. Anything other may well be “Better-fer-Gretta”; but will only ever be a step back in convenience.
No one NEEDS hot water for washing. But it’s a nice to have. No one NEEDS a new hip but it’s a nice to have. How many steps back in convenience should we be looking to make,.out of interest?
All this while gas fields burn in Turkmenistan. Manufacturing for all or “stuff” produces untold gigajoules of energy/heat…etc etc…does car driving really make a difference?
The restriction of rat runs is usually a response to cars using unsuitable roads to avoid traffic congestion. The problem, therefore, is the congestion. Closing a rat run resolves a safety issue and improves the quality of life for people who live there.
Traffic volumes are now chronic to the point where the convenience of the car is regularly undermined. Different, better, choices need to be made available and they don’t have to be a step back.
Ill considered car use is choking our streets and damaging the environment we all exist in. If it’s ‘Better fer Gretta’ (whatever that might be), it’s also better for you.
The cost of fuel and the cost of vehicles is discussed in an interesting and informed video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO1RiTCZFFg
Since it is produced by a car collector, you may be suspicious. Since that car collector is a relatively local farmer (Witney), you may be intrigued.